Diamonds in Tyler Texas
Diamonds in Tyler Texas
By: Scott A Gates
Wow, this is not easy. There are like dozens of places to buy diamonds and fine jewelry in Tyler. I mean you have big names like Kay, Zales, Gordon’s, and Helzberg as well as all of the department stores like Sears, Dillard’s and Macy’s plus a ton of independents like Jims Jewelers, Susan Robinson, Gold and Diamond Exchange and the list goes on and on. My goal here is to help give you some suggestions and guidelines to go by when making that big decision of what, where and when.
First off keep in mind that on store does not have better diamonds that another, just better selection and price. A stone with a SI grade is no different from Sears to Kay. So you need to think not just about the stone but the whole piece. Look at craftsmanship. Look at type of metals used to build it. Is the setting gold or platinum, how thick is the shank? Look for warranty. If I loose a stone will they replace it? If I bend a mounting prong or break a shank can they fix it in house or does it need to be sent out or can they do anything at all. If you do get a warranty does it travel? With Kay, if you buy a piece here in Tyler Texas and you move the warranty goes with you and any Kay nation wide can look it up on the computer, not a problem. Remember if you buy from a local “family owned” store you will need to go back to them for warranty repairs.
You know the old saying “you get what you pay for” definitely applies with jewelry. If you see a good looking piece for just $99.00 regular $149.00 at your local jewelry dealer and its in all the adds and all of you friends have one then chances are that its mass produced, which probably means its not very good quality. Don’t be blinded by the bling, pay attention and choose a piece that will last. What’s an extra hundred dollars now if it means not having 50 repairs over the next year? Remember, gold is expensive and the higher the karat the more it will cost, but it’s worth it. The world’s money exchange system is based on gold. Hint, it won’t loose value. As far as settings, my opinion is all about platinum. Platinum is very strong yet still pliable and is ideal for mounting stones in. Gold is a very common metal to mount stones because it’s easily worked. Well, it’s easily broken as well.
Obviously sales are a good time to buy and get a better price but there are better times. Try looking out of season. Jewelry season is the two weeks before Valentines Day, Mother’s day and from Black Friday until New Years. The rest of the time the stores are usually slower and more willing to give you a better deal. Never take price shown on to tag for anything. Trust me, as a previous assistant manager to a major jewelry store they always have the ability to give some sort of discount. In my personal experience I have received up to 35% on diamonds, 50% on gold, 25% on semi precious and 25% on watches. Don’t be afraid to ask. Look for customer appreciation days or special shows. Look for odd colored tags. If all the tags are white but you find a pink one, chances are it’s a closeout and it has big discounts.
Think of all the time and effort you put into buying a car and just remember you will have this piece of jewelry a whole lot longer. Take your time, look at quality, look for discounts, ask about warranties, look at in house financing and don’t be cheap. If its worth spending the money on then it’s worth putting the time in. Keep a level head, don’t be blinded and do get excited. Remember all of your choices and visit them. Good luck and happy shopping.